Home Space that Matters

Many people who first start looking for a home often neglect their future beyond 6 months or a year. The short sighted mentality is common, and can be due in part to simply not realizing where you will be in the future, or having the mindset that if your life changes you will simply move.

Take for example children. If you plan on having children within the next five years of buying a home, it is probably a good idea to plan for this with the appropriate number of bedrooms, and yes, even an additional bathroom. You may want to consider a playroom, and a fully fenced in yard. What you do in the meantime with that space is entirely up to you.

Another common problem is starting your own business. Again, if you plan, or even think there is a possibility of starting your own business in the next five years you should probably plan for that when looking for a home. Where that cute little nook seems like a perfect place to hang out with your laptop, that may all change when you have your own business and need to shut a door. So, plan on the additional room, or large closet where you can close the door, plant your feet, and focus on your company.

While many people focus on the core rooms—bedrooms, bathrooms, and size of the kitchen, having a prepared list of those special areas that mean a lot to you will certainly help in your search and decision making process.

For example, if you have always wanted a library or breakfast nook, write it down. Knowing what you want will provide you the strength to look beyond granite countertops and hardwood floors of a home that doesn’t have the rooms you are looking for.

Most homes readily list the number of bedrooms and bathrooms in the house, but if you are looking for more, make sure you jot it down. It may not make a difference between the home that don’t have an area for a library or breakfast nook, but it will make a world of difference for the homes that do have them. 

Help Me Help a Struggling Long Island Realtor

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Today, I’m asking you to help me help someone else. I’ve been selling real estate for a little over ten years, and while I’ve always done a great amount of business and my clients have been super satisfied, six months ago, I made a change. I moved to Exit Realty here on Long Island, and my life has changed.

Besides doubling my production, I’ve been able to effectively help more buyers and sellers move exactly where they want to be. I couldn’t be more grateful for that opportunity. I’m looking to give that same gift that a friend of mine gave me. If there are any real estate agents that have been struggling out there, Exit Realty can help them get past hurdles and sell more homes this year.

If any of you know anyone who has been struggling in their real estate career, offer them my name and my cell number. They can text or call me. I want to share my experiences here. I want to share the knowledge I’ve gained at this organization and want to pass it on to the next Realtor.

If you know someone, give them my cell number: 631-484-0133. Nothing would make me happier than to help someone else. I look forward to hearing from you!

How You Know You're Ready to Buy Your First Home

Let’s face it. We all think we are ready to buy our first home well before we are. Along with the years of preparation and financial preparedness, few people realize the time-commitment and emotional toll purchasing a home can take on you.

Now, I don’t want to scare you out of buying a home. In fact, that would be pretty counteractive to what I do for a living. However, I do want you to know that feelings of excitement, along with concern and frustration are natural, and happen to most home buyers.

I think the biggest question most people face when buying their first home is, how do I know when I am ready to buy a home?

It’s a legitimate question, and one which most people should ask their selves. Luckily, there are some indicators that you are both financially and emotionally ready to purchase a home.

You’re financially prepared:

This is a big one! You need to be financially prepared to purchase a home. Your lender will be looking at three types of your finances.

·         Your income vs. expenses: Can you afford, and pay back the loan?

·         Credit worthiness: Do you have credit, and if you do, do you pay your bills on time?

·         Down payment: Down payment is variable depending on your lender and type of loan, but you will likely need some money down.

If you are someone who still manages your check ledger, or is on top of your finances daily, then you are likely in a good position to begin looking for a home.

You actually want to settle down:

If you have been dreaming about staying in one place for a long time, as in years, then you are probably in the right mind set to own a home. Unless you are flipping a home for profit, you really want to have the finesse to stay for a while. Owning a home isn’t as simple as waiting for the lease to end before you move. So, if you are ready to settle in, then good for you. You might have a home in your future.

You really, really love DIY:

Whether you are looking for an older home, or a newer one, at some point you will have to fix or replace something in your home. So, if you love DIY projects, you are simply in a better position to handle some of the problems that might occur, whether the problem is a leaky faucet, or a burst pipe.

You are patiently ready:

Many people who want to buy a home are ready to jump and do everything at once. However, the smart home buyer realizes that shopping for a home is as much a commitment as signing the paperwork to buy the home. You need to have the ability to choose a home that works for you and understand the importance of not buying, just to buy. Rather you want to buy what fits for you.

It’s a buyers’ market:

While this is not a steadfast rule, you would be wise to manage patience and wait to purchase until you are in a buyers’ market. This simply means a market that is currently saturated with homes for sale, giving the buyer more flexibility in their bids, and available homes. Depending on where you are looking a buyers’ market could be seasonal, or may be only influenced by the economy.

Avoid This Common Long Island Buyer Mistake

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Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.

  

Today, we will discuss a common buyer mistake. I actually ran into this problem recently, so let me tell you the whole story.

Wednesday night, I received a message from a friend of mine who claimed that her friend’s daughter is having an awful time trying to find a home. I cannot stress enough how often I hear this. I reached out to her friend via text message because it was fairly late and I didn’t want to disturb her. The message goes  like this: “Hi, so-and so. Someone mentioned to me that your daughter is having trouble finding a home.”

I asked about the problem, and the response was, “She needs a three bedroom home. They’re not afraid to do work, but they also have to be able to live in.”

Now, that is a description of what they are looking for, not the problem they’re having. I said, “Okay, they’re having a hard time locating a home like that?”

The response: “Yes. Also, every time they find a house, it’s already in contract or an offer has been already made. It’s very frustrating.”

That is frustrating. I asked if they had been working with one agent the whole time or different agents for each home. What I was trying to do was determine whether the problem was one agent’s inability to obtain a home for them or lack of loyalty to an agent.

This nice lady said they were looking with different agents. Right then I knew that one of the problems is they don’t have an agent working for them. The agents they are trying to deal with work for the sellers. That makes the entire process very difficult and clumsy. They have to fight for knowledge and they are in the dark about what is actually going on. I followed up by asking if the daughter would like to sit and talk about buying a home.

The response was she is incredibly busy and didn’t know when she could. This daughter was expecting a baby and running her own business, which means she probably needs a write off. To me, the motivation is there, but the reality is, she doesn’t have time. If you don’t have time to dedicate to searching for a home, that can be incredibly frustrating.

I said I understood and if she wanted a professional, I would make myself available.  Now, I decided a very long time ago that I will not be that agent who runs around searching for a home without even knowing what that person wants in a home. In this situation, it sounds like there are too many cooks in the kitchen.

The takeaway today is work with a professional agent and do your due diligence when you’re looking for a home. Have a consultation with your agent so they know your time frame, motivation, and what you’re looking for in a home. Don’t run around dealing with seller’s agents. Work with a buyer’s agent.

If you have any questions about today’s video, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you.

How We Helped Tom and His Family throughout the Years

"My family and I used Jeff a few times. Yea we have done a few real estate dealings, and the one thing that I can say about Jeff, that put him head and shoulders above everyone else that I've ever worked with in real estate, is that there was never a moment during any of the processes where I didn't know what was going on. And that is the best testament that I can say towards him. He's very good. He would go out of his way to find true comparable homes in the area."

How We Helped Ginna Sell Her Home Quickly

"Oh, it was absolutely fantastic. He was friendly, outgoing. His people could not have been more personable. He was right on target with everything. The worst part is that it was very short lived. The house was sold within three to four days and it was a full price offer."

Is Your New Long Island Home Ready for You to Move In?

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Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.

Today, we’re going to discuss eight things to do before moving into your new Long Island home.

1. Change the locks. You don’t know who has a key to the property, so ensure to change the locks out.
2. Clean the new space. Do a real deep clean. You don’t want to live in someone else’s mess. 
   
3. Clean carpets, windowsills, and floors efficiently. It’s much easier to do this before you bring in all your furniture into the home. 
   
4. Clean the ducts, chimney, and filters. Oftentimes, the furnaces and central air units have dirty filters. If you don’t clean or replace them, you’ll be blowing someone else’s dust around your new home. 
   
5. Paint the space. Consider bringing in a professional painter who edges exceptionally well. Painting changes the whole look of the space and this is an opportunity to transform it entirely. 
   
6. Buy new appliances. Again, appliances tend to be dirty after years of use, so start off fresh with some new appliances. 
   
7. Install window treatments. This can really make the difference right here.
8. Check for leaks. Run the sinks and check the basement. Water is the number one issue a homeowner has with insurance companies, so beware of water and especially of any possible leaks.
   

If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!